


because you only breathe for me (twit twit twit twit)

by gloomly



Category: Mamamoo
Genre: Age Difference, CEO Byulyi, College Student Hyejin, F/F, First Kiss, Idol Byulyi, Rating May Change, Sexuality Crisis, Sugar Baby Hyejin, Sugar Mommy Byulyi, Totally straight Hyejin, but like lowkey at first, experimenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:53:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22326652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gloomly/pseuds/gloomly
Summary: She scrolls until she sees the unfamiliar contact, saved underMoon Byulyi.  She hasn’t really given the other woman much thought. Baseball cap half hiding your face, the deep voice had surprised her but Hyejin had brushed it off, offered a smile she knew no one would be able to resist.Getting the other’s number had been fairly easy, something that Hyejin had been hoping on but hadn’t really thought would happen.  Her finger taps at the name, loads up the message screen.She’s bored, she reasons, if she hadn’t wanted to contact her, she wouldn’t have given her her number.hello, this is ahn hyejin, the girl from the bbq place.
Relationships: Ahn Hyejin | Hwasa/Moon Byulyi | Moonbyul
Comments: 18
Kudos: 99





	because you only breathe for me (twit twit twit twit)

**Author's Note:**

> this is in the same setting as [my sugar mommy wheesun fic](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1508465) but you don't really have to read it to be able to understand this one tbh

Hyejin stares absentmindedly at her television. Her books splayed out on her dining table, room flooded in nothing but the light from the television screen.

Wheein hasn’t answered her any of her recent texts. Hyejin can just imagine the other trying to keep herself from drowning underneath classes, work, projects, and even more overwhelming, someone going by  _ doremifasolar _ .

Hyejin feels a little bit bad about it. But only a little. Wheein’s silly little panicked texts are fun to read, they break down the dullness of everyday life. 

Now, with this radio silence, Hyejin sighs, writing down her answer carefully in her notebook. She spaces out, words blurring out of focus even as she writes down answers. The television in front of her is still playing a movie, something glossy and theatrical.

“Ah,” Hyejin groans, closing her notebook, pushing away her textbooks. Her head feels fuzzy, nerves prickling, temples pulsating. Her eyes refocus on the movie, reading the subtitles on the screen.

She reaches for her phone out of habit, fingers unlocking it without much thought, thumb pressing open her messages. Her message thread with Wheein still stagnant on Hyejin’s last messages.

She scrolls up their messages. Hyejin laughs when she gets to the part where she had teased Wheein about the website confirmation, Wheein’s playful _ i hate you hyejinnie-ah. _

Her mind thinks back on it, her fingers pressing back as she remembers what really started this whole mess for Wheein. Or more specifically, _who_.

She scrolls until she sees the unfamiliar contact, saved under _Moon Byulyi_. She hasn’t really given the other woman much thought. Baseball cap half hiding your face, the deep voice had surprised her but Hyejin had brushed it off, offered a smile she knew no one would be able to resist.

Getting the other’s number had been fairly easy, something that Hyejin had been hoping on but hadn’t really thought would happen. Her finger taps at the name, loads up the message screen.

She’s bored, she reasons, if she hadn’t wanted to contact her, she wouldn’t have given her her number.

_ hello, this is ahn hyejin, the girl from the bbq place. _

The sentence pops up as a bubble after she presses send, a lonely statement that can’t be taken back.

She doesn’t have to wait long for an answer, phone vibrating in her hand as a message comes through.

_ Hello, Ahn Hyejin, this is Moon Byulyi. _

Hyejin watches as another message pops up on screen.

_ I didn’t really think you were serious when you asked for my number. _

Hyejin gets up to lay on her couch, phone over her head as she types out a response.

_ why? _

Byulyi, Hyejin reminds herself, answers quickly again.

_ Girls like you don’t look at girls like me. _

This intrigues Hyejin even more, eyebrow raising at the screen. If anything that statement has answered many questions. Most important one being that Byulyi really does have an interest in women. And Hyejin getting her number wasn’t just a fumbling mistake.

It’s flattering she thinks. Hyejin hasn’t really ever had an interest in other women, never really thought about it. But it feels good to be attractive to more than just targeted demographic.

She’s not really so sure what to say, doesn’t know if she wants to keep playing or just drop it.

_ so you were looking at me?  _

Hyejin grins as she types out the message, teasing.

Byulyi’s response takes a little longer this time, Hyejin stares at the television for a bit before her phone vibrates again.

_ You were very glamorous, it is hard not to look at you. _

Hyejin bites down on her tongue, recognizes the thinly veiled compliment.

_ thank you _

Hyejin pauses, but she’s always been impulsive, so she shrugs as she sends another message.

_ so do you want to meet sometime? _

-

Hyejin shivers as she walks down the crowded street. The restaurant Byulyi had picked is a bit far from her school. The warmth from the bus has long left her and her cheeks sting with the winter air. She sticks her hands into the pockets of her coat, hunching over to keep away from the cold wind.

It’s a small shop. Hidden away, a bit rundown. Hyejin wonders why exactly the other had picked this location. She sits down, looking at the faded posters on the wall, smiling when the old woman behind the counter approaches her.

“Are you ready to order?” she asks, hands holding a small notepad.

“Ah, no,” Hyejin says, shaking her head, “I’m waiting for someone.”

She looks through her emails once she settles. The shop is small but the smells of homemade soup and cooking meat make her feel warm. 

The door opens a couple of minutes later. Hyejin looks up in time to see someone enter, cap pulled down, face mask covering the rest.

Byulyi waves at the old woman behind the counter, pulls her mask off. Her eyes scan the shop, gaze landing at Hyejin who raises her hand to catch her attention.

They’re the only ones there and it feels dumb even as her hand is still up in the air. 

Byulyi still goes to her, hat pushed a bit back. Hyejin looks at her, dressed very much the same way as the first time she had approached her. A long coat, hoodie underneath. Up close her clothes look expensive and Hyejin wonders what they’re really doing at such a small food shop, out of the way of foot traffic.

“Hi,” Byulyi says, slightly out of breath, “Hyejin-ssi.”

Hyejin doesn’t get to answer, the woman coming from the counter to take their orders. Byulyi talks to her like she frequently comes to the shop, warm and with a big smile.

“I didn’t really think you were going to call me,” Byulyi says once they’re alone again, “after a couple of days I figured it was a dare from your friend.”

Hyejin laughs nervously, shedding off her own coat when she starts to feel too hot.

“To tell you the truth,” Hyejin presses her lips together, “I’ve never approached a woman before...my friend thought I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“Ah,” Byulyi says, nods, “so you...just want to try it out.”

Hyejin can feel her face heat up at the sentence, is saved her spluttering by the food being delivered to them. Bowls of steaming soup, sizzling meat, fluffy rice.

“Thank you,” they say together, bowing as the last side dish is laid out.

“I really liked your new song,” the old woman says, “I hear it everyday.”

Byulyi smiles wide at the woman, eyes squinting, “Thank you so much for listening,” she says.

Hyejin keeps her gaze on her, unable to look away even as they’re finally alone. Byulyi turns to look fully at her. They stare at each other until Byulyi flinches away, sighing as she reaches for the bowl of rice.

“I thought maybe at first you approached me because you recognized me,” Byulyi says, answering Hyejin’s silent question, “but then you asked me for my number and that seemed like something a...fan wouldn’t do.”

Hyejin still can’t say anything, Byulyi takes it as a queue to keep going, pushing clumps of rice around her plate, “then when it took you so long to message me I thought it was a joke...or that maybe you had finally figured out who I was and now wanted something from me.”

There’s awkward silence before Hyejin’s brain finally switches back on, she blinks, shaking her head a bit, “you’re a singer? Like an idol?”

Byulyi laughs at her question, shaking her own head, “An idol? No, you flatter me,” she motions for Hyejin to start eating, smiles once Hyejin reaches for some food, “I don’t sing as much as I used to. Now I just run the company, let others do the singing.”

-

Hyejin pulls out her phone as soon as she’s on the bus, typing quickly as it rolls off to the next stop.

_ moon byulyi ceo _

She gets pictures of the other woman looking right back at her. Hyejin learns that she’s just about to turn 30 in the upcoming weeks. Byulyi comes from an affluent family, an idol singer more or less, now running a company, Rainbow Bridge Entertainment. 

She scrolls enough to find her new song, her old songs. She clicks on them, likes the music enough to download them on her phone, keep clicking until she finds the list of idols under the company. Idols she’s heard of in passing, idols that she’s seen in commercials and billboards.

She swallows nervously, her throat dry as the bus keeps moving through the quickly fading day.

Her phone vibrates as she’s scrolling through articles, photos of Byulyi in expensive looking suits, thousand of comments left by netizens.

_ Are you home? Do you want to meet again soon? Tomorrow? _

-

She startles when her doorbell rings. Her television is on but Hyejin really hasn’t been watching, jittery as she waits for the other to finally come.

She opens the door quickly, is met again with a cap pull down low, Byulyi’s hands in her pockets.

Hyejin watches as the other toes of her sneakers. Hyejin knows enough about fashion to know how expensive they are, feels embarrassed seeing them next to her no brand heels.

“I’m glad I didn’t scare you off yesterday,” Byulyi says, voice edging with a laugh, “I thought for sure you would say no to meeting again so soon.”

Hyejin pulls out her dining table, brings out small dishes of mismatched food, things she’s found at the market close to her apartment.

“I’m sorry for the food,” she says, ignores Byulyi’s statement, “it must be so shabby for someone like you…”

They meet eyes as they both sit, Byulyi’s smile small.

Hyejin’s gaze lands on her eyes, shining. Byulyi had said she wasn’t an idol, but she had seen the music videos, the teaser pictures, the performances. She had even heard some of her songs on the market, at random stores. 

And although Hyejin had never really thought about it, even she knew Byulyi was pretty enough to be a top visual. Conventionally pretty, pristine porcelain skin, perfect straight nose, rosy lips, slim body.

“Thank you for the food,” Byulyi says, grabbing her chopsticks.

“You’re really famous,” Hyejin finally says, food still untouched, “you’re really famous and I didn’t even know it and now you’re here in my living room.”

Byulyi looks at her, expression flashing on something strange, “I can leave if you want,” she says.

“No!” Hyejin says, too loud, “I’m just...still in shock, I guess.”

“You’re so much more different,” Byulyi says, “then when you asked for my number.”

Hyejin blinks at her surprised, “I’m not always like this,” she defends herself, “I’m just not sure how I ended up here with you.”

“Then let’s just get to know each other,” Byulyi offers, eyes serious, “you said you’ve never been like this with a woman...so I understand.”

Hyejin’s heart starts to race, palms itching at the words. She’s not even sure if this is how she wants Byulyi and her to be. Her mind still reeling at the fact that someone on top of the industry, someone like Byulyi likes women.

“So you really are like this,” Hyejin says stupidly, “you like to date women?”

Byulyi sighs, leaning closer, “is this stupid?” she asks, “to have a random stranger now this big of a secret just because I think she’s pretty?”

Hyejin flushes, not used to being so flustered, more used to eliciting these kinds of reactions.

“It’s a big secret,” Hyejin relents.

“You’ll have to sign a contract,” Byulyi says, matter of factly, no pretense, “if you were serious when you asked for my number.”

“Ok,” Hyejin breathes out, doesn’t give it much thought, just reacts, “if you’re serious, I’ll do it.”   
-

The high rise building towers overhead. Byulyi’s driver closes the car door behind her, tells her where Byulyi is meeting her.

The secretary clears her as soon as Hyejin says her name, makes a quick phone call, gives her a small slip with the floor number writing on it.

Hyejin enters the elevator, dull gold walls and door, long column of buttons on the inside. She pushes the for the last floor, all the way on top.

Her stomach drops as soon as she starts rising, nerves skyrocketing with each floor she passes. 

She takes in a deep breath when the elevator stops, doors opening to an office, open floor, impressive wooden desk in the middle of floor length windows. Byulyi turns away from one of the windows, phone pressed to her ear.

“I’ll call you back,” she says, smiling at Hyejin, “make sure to send me the outfit sketches before the day is over.”

She hangs up and Hyejin feels oddly touched at having the other finish a call just to talk to her.

“Was the drive ok?” Byulyi asks, pushing up the sleeves of her dress shirt, bunched up around her elbows.

“Yes,” Hyejin laughs, “very.”

There’s an awkward silence, Byulyi walks to her desk, pulling out a folder, contract inside.

“You can read it,” Byulyi says, “it’s just a non disclosure agreement.”

She motions for Hyejin to come closer, pushing the contract across to her.

Hyejin sits, takes a moment to think about just how she’s ended up here. A bet that she’s escalated to this. She’s been fairly calm about it, yes it’s been a couple of sleepless nights wondering just how she’s managed to stumble into this. But nothing much has ever stopped her.

She scans the contract, hyper aware of the way Byulyi is looking at her. She’s not entirely sure where this is all going to lead to, she’s not even sure why she’s considering doing this with an idol of sorts, much less a female idol. Her eyes flicker up, and although she can admit that Byulyi is _attractive_ , she’s not _attracted_.

Hyejin signs her name with a flourish, an exaggeration to keep her beating heart at bay.

Byulyi’s long fingers come into view, pulling back the papers, stacking them nicely.

“I’ll have a copy made for you,” Byulyi says, voice soft.

Hyejin nods, watching as Byulyi sits down, slowly.

“I hope this doesn’t make things even more awkward,” Byulyi isn’t looking at her, instead looking at the papers in her hand, “even if this...is short lived, you understand, right?”

Hyejin nods, is honestly still trying to wrap her head around the fact that someone like Byulyi really has an interest in someone like her.

“Of course,” Hyejin nods, feeling small in her own coat, “I understand.”

-

Hyejin is home when her doorbell rings. It’s the middle of the day, she’s typing up an essay on her laptop, curtains drawn close.

She listens as something is left on the other side of her door. Her phone vibrates loudly on the small table, a notification from a new message, Hyejin checks, from  _ Moon Byulyi _ .

_ Did you get my gift? _

Hyejin frowns, gets up to open her door.

There’s a package on the floor. Hyejin brings it into her apartment, using her nails to cut through the tape. When she opens it she sees another box, a high end brand that Hyejin recognizes right away. There’s a small note folded at the side. She grabs it, unfolds it to see the nice script of a message.

_ Saw this at a store, I thought it suited your taste just fine. _

_ \- M.B. _

Hyejin drops the note, opens the box. Inside a small plaid and red handbag. She reaches for her phone properly opens her messages. Her thread with Byulyi loads, the last message before the one a couple of minutes ago was from yesterday, a conversation about Hyejin’s classes.

_ it must have been really expensive, byulyi-ssi _

_ Did you like it? _

_ yes but its so luxurious ㅠ _ _ ︿ _ _ ㅠ. _

_ If you like it, then it’s ok _

_ byulyi-ssi, i don’t know what to say… _

_ It’s just a gift. _

_ Will we able to meet again soon? _

Hyejin runs careful hands over the handbag, leather smooth under her touch. It’s been a couple of weeks since they’ve met. Courses have picked up, assignments and projects piling up. But that hasn’t really stopped her looking up Byulyi in the few spare moments between classes, waiting for the bus. There’s been minimal sightings of Byulyi around the company building, most articles had been the recent preparations for a girl group in her company, a comeback.

_ my project is due today _

_ You’ve been working hard, let’s meet tomorrow. _

-

Byulyi shows up at her apartment the next day. In her ever familiar cap and face mask. She has bags hanging from her hands, glossy logos from high end brands Hyejin has only looked at in storefront windows.

“Busy day?” Hyejin asks, placing tea on the small table she’s set up.

“These are for you,” Byulyi says, dropping the bags on the couch, “to cheer you up from your busy schedule.”

It’s a different feeling, Hyejin realizes. Byulyi is wearing normal clothing, not the suit and tie from their meeting at her office. Her words are as stern as before but now Hyejin seems the beginnings of something familiar, something like the first night they met, when Hyejin had approached her.

“These are all for me?” she asks, smiling to herself, dropping her head, hoping Byulyi hadn’t seen.

“They’ll suit you,” Byulyi promises, reaching to pull out a small box from a bag. She opens it, a gold Cartier bracelet, the classic design.

“You wrist are so delicate,” Byulyi says, reaching for Hyejin’s hand, “I thought something like this would look best on you.”

Hyejin watches as Byulyi carefully slips the bracelet on her, arm heavy with it. 

“Pefect,” Byulyi looks at her, eyes different.

Something unfamiliar twists in Hyejin’s stomach, a faint feeling.

“Let’s have some tea,” she says, “I’ll open these later.”

Hyejin pours the boiling water carefully, tea bag floating to the top.

“How was your day, Byulyi-ssi,” she asks, pushing the full cup across from her. Tea sloshes over with the movement, splashing hotly against her hand, her manicured fingers.

Byulyi’s eyes go them, reaches for a napkin to cover Hyejin’s hand with it.

“I always forget you really haven’t been with another woman,” Byulyi says, quietly, “with those nails, I guess it’ll be hard to forget now.”

Hyejin looks at her own hands, looks back up, “what do you mean?” Hyejin asks, looking at Byulyi’s own plain fingernails.

“It would hurt,” Byulyi says, voice soft, embarrassed, “to touch with those.”

Her cheeks paint red like a china doll, bright, high on her cheeks. Hyejin’s own neck heats up, to her ears.

“Ah,” she laughs, pulling her hands away from the table, hiding them between her legs.

“Have you ever kissed another woman?” Byulyi asks, a nervous air settling between them.

Hyejin shakes her head, pulse quickening, “why?”

Byulyi finally looks at her, eyes meeting, “you look really cute right now.”

Hyejin can’t look away, heart stuttering.

“You want to kiss me,” Hyejin says, slow.

“I want to kiss you,” Byulyi repeats.

She’s intrigued, Hyejin doesn’t move when Byulyi starts moving around the table, sitting next to her. Her nerves prickle against her temples but she’s curious, warm hands touch her cheek, fingertips skimming, before fanning out and settling. 

Byulyi pulls her closer, head tilting. Her eyes are open, eyelashes fluttering as Hyejin keeps looking at her. 

Byulyi pulls her closer, closer and closer until their lips touch. A soft, fleeting press. Byulyi doesn’t move away, with their breathing, Hyejin’s stuttering breath, their lips touch again. Byulyi’s eyes flicker to Hyejin’s lips, asking for permission. 

Byulyi’s lips are soft, molding easily over her own. Hyejin doesn’t know what to do, it’s familiar, but just off enough to make it hard to figure out.

She shudders, the hot feeling of Byulyi’s tongue against her lips is shocking, not unpleasant just unknown.

Byulyi pulls away then, hand dropping away from her face. Hyejin wants to ask if she did ok but her voice is stuck and Byulyi doesn’t give her much time before she’s pulling down one of the bags she’s brought, pushing it to Hyejin.

“Open it,” she says, and Hyejin smiles as she pulls out another branded box.

Byulyi leaves after Hyejin opens all her gifts, shirts, pants, dresses, makeup and accessories from all the brands Hyejin had always admired but has never been able to afford on her student budget. They’re all her size, and so pretty Hyejin is instantly smitten by them.

She sits on the couch, in her worn out sleep clothes, television on to a rerun of a music show. Her fingers press against her lips, where Byulyi’s own have touched them.

**Author's Note:**

> new year, new hwabyul lol
> 
> find me/talk to me about this fic or other fics or whatever [twitter](https://twitter.com/gIoomly) / [cc](https://curiouscat.me/gIoomly)
> 
> also if you are able to/feeling generous or would like to leave something here is my [ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/gloomily) and my [commission info](https://twitter.com/gIoomly/status/1234681625490771969) if anyone is interested :)  
> but of course you dont have to ｡◠‿◠｡


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